Alfred thompson godbe



(No Model.)

A. T. GODBE. HOBBY HORSE.

Patented Jul 1e 6, 1893.

m: uonms PETERS 0o. mo'ruu'rna, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED THOMPSON GODBE, OF PIOOHE, NEVADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK GODBE, OF SAME PLACE.

HOBBY-HORSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 498,847, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed September 7, 1892. Serial No. 445,238- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED THOMPSON GODBE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pioche, in the county of Lincoln and State of Nevada, have invented a new and useful Hobby-Horse, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a hobby-horse which is capable of locomotion, the same being accomplished by a certain novel construction and combination of devices which are fully described hereinafter in connection with the drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:-Figure 1 is a side view of a hobby horse embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view as seen when the members are extended, in the act of moving. Fig. 3 is a View of one of the carrying wheels, detached.

A represents the body of the horse, provided with the supporting legs, B B, which are provided at their lower ends with wheels,

The wheels are provided upon their inner faces with ratchet teeth, D, which are engaged by spring pawls, E, whereby said wheels may turn to allow the horse to move forward, but are locked against the reverse motion. The body of the horse is divided at an intermediate point, upon a line which inclines slightly to the rear toward its upper end,thus forming the front and rear sections, respectively designated by the letters, a and a. The two sections of the body are connected together, at the upper end of the dividing line, by a rubber, or other elastic hinge, F, whereby the two sections are capable of independ ent movement about this hinged point, thus enabling the center of the back of the horse to be depressed, as shown in Fig. 2, and also enabling the front and rear sections of the body to assume positions at an obtuse angle to each other, whereby the front section may be deflected to one side or the other to enable the horse to turn a corner.

Secured to the front section of the body is the saddle spring G, upon which is carried the saddle, H, which is arranged adjacent to and slightly in advance of the hinge-joint. Supported from the saddle are the stirrups, I I.

To prevent the too great deflection or separation of the sections of the body I provide a limiting spring, K, which is secured at its ends to the sections, beneath or upon the under side of the body, said spring being also designed to return the sections to their normal positions when separated as indicated in Fig. 2. V

In operation, the rider sits in the saddle, and while sitting upright, or slightly inclined forward the members of the horse remain in the position shown in Fig. 1. If the rider leans slightly to the rear, so as to throw the center of gravity of his body over, or in rear of the dividing line between the sections of the body of the horse, the center of the latter will be depressed, as shown in Fig. 2 until limited by the tension of the spring, K, and as the wheels which are carried by the rear legs of the horse are prevented from moving to the rear by the ratchet and pawl mechanism, the front wheels will advance. When the rider leans forward, so as to again throw the center of gravity of his body in front of the dividing line between the sections of the body, the spring, K, will return the parts to their normal positions. As the sections of the body return to their normal positions, as described, the front wheels are prevented from moving to the rear by their ratchet and pawl attachments, while the rear wheels move forward to their normal distance from the front wheels. By repeatedly leaning to the rear and then to the front in this manner, the hobby horse may be caused to advance steadily, somewhat after the manner of a horse cantering.

The advantage gained by the use of a rubher or elastic hinge for the connection of the sections of the body is that by leaning slightly 'to one side or the other the rider may cause the horse to turn, the front section being deflected from a straight line and caused to assume a position at an angle to the rear sec tion.

It will be understood that any equivalent device may be used instead of the pawl and ratchet mechanism which is employed to allow forward and prevent backward rotation of the carrying-wheels. Such equivalent devices being common and well known expedients, it is unnecessary to describe the same herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A hobby horse the body portion of which is formed in sections, hinged together and adapted to be depressed at their meeting ends, and the legs of which are provided with pawl and ratchet controlled carrying wheels which are capable of movement in one direction only and a contracting connection between said sections, substantially as specified.

2. A hobby horse the body portion of which is formed in separable sections, hinged together at their meeting edges the tension spring connecting said sections to return them to their normal relative positions after deflection, and the pawl and ratchet controlled carrying wheels mounted upon the legs of the horse, substantially as specified.

3. A hobby horse comprising a front and a rear section, the dividing line being located at an intermediate point of the body, and said sections being connected by a hingejoint and an actuating spring, and carrier wheels arranged upon the legs of the horse and capable of rotation in one direction only, substantially as specified.

4. A hobby horse formed in front and rear sections hinged together and provided with a connecting spring, the carrier wheels arranged upon the legs, and capable of rotation in one direction only and the saddle attached to one of the sections and disposed approximately over the line of division between the sections, substantially as specified.

5. A hobby horse having its body formed in two sections hinged together, the line'of division between the sections being arranged at an intermediate point of the body and inclining slightly to the rear toward its upper end, the carrier wheels, capable of rotation in one direction only and the saddle carried by one of the sections and suspended approximately above and slightly in front of the upper end of said division line, and a contracting connection between said section of the body substantially as specified.

6. A hobby horse having its body portion formed in sections hinged together, the line of division between the sections being arranged at an intermediate point of the body, and the hinge being located at the upper end of said division line, the spring connecting the sections at the lower end of said division line, the carrier wheels attached to the legs of the horse, and capable of rotation in one direction only and the saddle supported approximately over the division line upon a spring which is secured to the front section, substantially as specified.

'7. The hobby horse, having a sectional body portion provided. at the meeting ends of its sections with pivotal and contracting connections, and legs provided with carrying wheels capable of rotation in one direction only, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED THOMPSON GOD BE.

Witnesses:

THos. G. ARMSTRONG, W. S. GoDBE. 

